Catholic Fellowship Jakarta NewsletterAugust 2017

CFJ Choir Practice Tuesday, 7 PMVenue: Ambiente Jln Senopati No. 70Contact Person: Fransiska Darmawan (+62812-8252-0070)

CFJ Bible Fellowship Wednesday, 7 PMVenue: Central or South or North Jakarta, will be broadcastedContact Person: Jessica Winarko(+62815-9398-708)

CFJ Newsletter TeamContact Person:Tania Tanagra (+62818-778-393)

CFJ Kids (weekly Sunday School)Open to children the ages of 3-7Venue: Gereja Katolik St. Perawan Maria Ratu (Blok Q Church)Time: 11 AMContact Persons:Michelle Salim (+62818-0732-5678)Cynthia Wijaya (+62812-8419-1388)

CFJ Mass serversLectors & Altar serversContact person:Giovanni Rasidy (+62 818-0828-4110)

CFJ Ushers & Audio VisualContact person:Mardhika (+62 818-717-325)

Get Involved !

E info@cfjakarta.com W www.cfjakarta.org facebook.com/cfjakarta @catholicfellowshipjakarta

back to basicsa prayer : The start and finish line

by Celine Djohan

More often than not, we go through phases in life where we think our world is in a free fall, in addition to the pressure that we hold ourselves accountable. One scripture that is often overlooked during difficult times is “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)”.

How do we ask? Simple- pray.

Think of it this way: A prayer may not change things but we can definitely pray to be changed to fit the situation. The experience or pressure that we are overcoming is leading us to something.

Moreover, we are so burdened because we put the weight of the world on our shoulders and doubt the one who carried the cross that we ourselves are not strong enough to carry in the first place.

To live and breathe the word of God is to accept these phases graciously because whatever we are going through in life are just chapters that make up who we are, or who we are supposed to be and made to be. Sometimes it is not what we overcoming but because of how we are overcoming it. We forgot our source and hence, we lose our strength.

God isn’t always going to give us what we asked for (James 4:3). However, the deeper our relationship is with God, the more we will know what to ask for in accordance with God’s will. There are wonders in prayers and there definitely are wonders in God, we just have to believe and have faith in Him because that’s what following Christ is all about!

Prayer is the key to God’s blessings and gifts. We shouldn’t hope for a life without problems, because you are defined by what you’re willing to struggle for. At the end of the day, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

So take a deep breath, silence the world and embrace the peace He has to offer. Just pray.

It was a typical Wednesday night until Hanny and Felice Sutanto opened our eyes to what it takes to make a marriage work.

According to them, God should live in you from the day you read your vows because your family and friends would not be the only audience member, God has the front-seat to it as well. If God lives and stays in your marriage, then no problem in your home is too big for God to handle. Each partner must learn to accept his or her spouse’s short-comings because not only will you marry your partner’s great-est quality, but also his or her worst quality as well. Character is permanent, no man can change that. Instead of changing your partner, pray for one another. Remember to be faithful, hopeful, and patient in prayer.

by Winda Widyanputri

Love is a verb Marriage is not just another step, rather a permanent leap. For that, Romo Erwin reminded us the significance pre-marital counselling and marriage is not something to consider lightly. He also suggested that common faith is not a necessity. Ide-ally, it would be less difficult to call God into your marriage and home. Ultimately it all comes down to the mutual respect of each others’ distinct faith.

A spiritual and emotional sustainable marriage does not come naturally. Love itself is an action word that associates with work and effort. Love takes work and work takes time. Both partners must be willing to carry both, the joy and burden love has to offer in their marriage if they want to last.

by Cynthia H Wijaya

“How does faith tie into your work?” “How do you balance your work, family and spiritual activities?” Those were some of the questions raised for Mr. Rustiyan and Mrs. Linda Oen, who led that night’s Bible Fellowship session, one of many in the ‘Wisdom’ series.

Career and faith are deeply intertwined areas in life, though it may seem unlikely at first. “As a Catholic and businessman”, Mr. Rustiyan answered, “We are responsible for actively prac-ticing the VALUES of our faith in the workplace.” Remember that action speaks louder than words, and that each of us are a living testimony of Christ’s teachings (James 2:17). Doing business without a strong foundation of faith can turn into a dangerous road to tread.

There will be times when you may feel pressured to sacrifice your morals when doing business. When caught in such a conflict, take your time to listen and pray. When you are spiritu-ally in touch with God, you are bound to follow the right path He has set for you (Jeremiah 29:11).

Faith in career and parenthoodFaith also changes your priorities in life. Mr. Rustiyan shared, “Often, humans will set a moving target in their work, resulting in never-ending dissatisfaction, work and stress.” Faith gives us strength to continue even in times of great difficulty.

On the subject of parenthood, the couple reflected on the importance of being present for your loved ones at home. Parenthood is a challenging, never-ending job; but also a God-given privilege. Parents have to be open with their children, treat all of them fairly, and instill Catholic values. With healthy communication, families can work as a unit and be ruled with democracy, though it may be necessary to enforce certain rules more authoritatively.

At the closing of the session, the couple, along with one of their daughters Mikaela, happily agreed that faith successfully unified their family, and could only strengthen it further.

CFJ in pictures...

CFJ Choir

CFJ Soup KItchenCFJ Soup KItchen

CFJ Bible Fellowship

ACROSS2 First president of Indonesia5 Longest colonialist in Indonesia6 Symbol of a nation7 How many apostles does Jesus have?8 National song9 Built to commemorate the struggle for Indonesian Independence

DOWN1 Climb to the top to claim your prize3 Amount of feathers on each of Garuda’s wings4 Considered a traditional game on 17 August7 Festivities along streets

ANSWERS FOR LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD :ACROSS : 4. Light ; 5. Magdalene ; 6. John ; 7. Twelve ; 8. Seed ; 9. JosephDOWN : 1. Bethlehem ; 2. Parables ; 3. Mount by Agnes Husada

CROssword puzzle

Got any questions?Email Daddy D at info@cfjakarta.com

Answering your questions on being a modern Catholic

ask daddy d

Dear Daddy D,Is it okay to kill annoying pests like flies, cockroaches, ants and mosquitos just because they make my life a lot less comfortable?Troubled Conscience Trudy

Dear Troubled Conscience One,In the book of Genesis, God gave man dominion over all living creatures. It is written in Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground”.

Thus technically it is okay to kill them – however we should not kill wantonly, just because we feel like it. If they do not disturb us, why harm them? Unless a mosquito might give you dengue, or a fly might cause you to have diarrhea, let them be: Love, Peace and the Catholic way.

Dear Daddy D,Am I allowed to marry my beloved who is not a Catholic?Accidentally in Love

Dear AiL,This is not an easy question to answer – for a comprehensive answer, please consult your friendly neighborhood priest. However, I do want to share with you some points you may want to consider when taking such a step: First and foremost, the state of Indonesia allows inter-religion marriage as long as your religious institution approves.

Now while this usually spells “conversion”, we all know that what God wants is true conversion, not a conversion for the sake of getting married. Remember that despite all the rom-com we watch, marriage is ultimately about building a family; thus you have to consider as well

how your family would function as a “small church”. Wouldn’t you want to go to church together with your loved ones, your future spouse, and children, every Sunday? Wouldn’t it be great if you, your spouse and children can grow up together with the same strong Catholic values, supporting and loving each other in faith, hope, and love?

While the Catholic Church prefers that both spouses share the same Catholic faith, what the Church demands is that any future children be raised in a Catholic way, for it is important that they grow up in a small church that supports the devel-opment of their faith. Love is for a lifetime, for love is about building a family and a future together – thus making sure that one of the building blocks you have is faith, for others will fade away with time.

independence day

Catholic Fellowship Jakarta Newsletter

Dedication inserving god

Newsletter Design by Anastasia Liando

When I was asked to write a piece about ‘Dedication in serving God’, I could not think of anything but this one quote: the last bit of John F Kennedy’s presidential inaugural speech, “ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.” At a glance, this quote may not even seem remotely connected, but lookbeyond its superficial meaning.

When we say our prayers, we do not realize that often we tend to ask for something from God. However, has it ever occurred to you to offer something to Him?

Once I asked God, “Lord, what can I do for you? I really want to serve you!” Next thing I know, I was introduced to Michelle Salim, who was in charge of CFJ Kids/ Sunday School. And here I am, serving God through CFJ Kids (almost) every Sunday.

I have to say that it was not easy in the beginning; serving God requires energy and time, and sometimes life gets busy. But I always remember what Father Seto taught us during the Leader’s retreat “Make yourself available, God will make you capable!“

by Friska Ruslim, CFJ Kids Vice.

“What have you done with the gifts that God has given you? Have you been using it to serve and glorify the Lord?”

This was the question I received not too long ago during a retreat. A wake up call, you can say. I realize that God has given me so much, yet I offer Him so little. Coming home from that retreat, I started praying “How can I help you God?”

At first I didn’t know where to start, but another question came to me. One afternoon, my boyfriend asked me if I could help design CFJ’s Newsletter every month. I knew that instant that this is where God wants me to help out. So here I am, serving Him through CFJ as their designer! As written in Romans 12:6 “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” I believe that my graphic designing experiences and skills were actually God’s grace, in order for me to one day put my gifts to good use and serve Him.

Action does speak louder than words. To be able to say “thank you” to God through serving brings me joy that words cannot describe. I am grateful to be part of CFJ, to be in a community where I am able to serve and grow in faith. Want to experience the same thing? Then start praying, start listening to Him, and say YES SIR When you receive His calling!

by Anastasia Liando, CFJ Newsletter Designer & CFJ Choir

I came to know CFJ when I attended its mass as part of the congregation. Frankly, it was the mass timing that first appealed to me since I was never a morning person. The timing which is 11 AM is just right, not too late nor too early.

One day my friend asked me to help in serving as part of the CFJ crew. At first my ego and pride were the true reasons why I agreed to do it. I also thought I could make more new friends. Then I kept serving and I even tried many different roles in mass service. As time goes by, I found joy and peace when serving during mass. I was able to better understand it, the beauty of a mass and the reasons why we need to go every Sunday.

There is a saying: “You come for the wrong reasons, but you stay for the right one.” Although at first my intention was not right, the feeling of being able to give back to God is beyond words, which is now what drives me to serve Him through CFJ.

I believe God has a beautiful plan for me even when I never asked for it. In the end, He gave me so much more than just friendship, He blessed me with peace, joyfulness and fellowship in Christ.

by Mardhika Riadi, Head of CFJ Audio Visual & CFJ Ushers Vice